Amazon.com: Silk, Season 2: Maxine Peake, Rupert Penry-Jones, Neil Stuke, Alex Jennings, Indira Varma, Peter Hoare, Alice Troughton, Jeremy Webb, Peter Moffat, Richard Stokes, Hilary Salmon from $1.99 1. Episode 1 Martha Costello is now a QC, but she learns fast that it can be lonely at the top. At Shoe Lane Chambers times are tough, and senior clerk Billy struggles to keep things afloat while Clive Reader tries to be stoic about his unsuccessful silk application. TV-14 CC Language: English Runtime: 58 minutes Release date: May 14, 2012 Buy HD $2.99 from $1.99 2. Episode 2 Martha is representing Captain Peter Ryan in a Court Martial. He's accused of disobeying an order, resulting in the death of a 19 year old private. Doggedly seeking the truth, Martha slowly peels back the layers of past and present wounds, revealing the shocking reality of modern combat.

TV-14 CC Language: English Runtime: 59 minutes Release date: May 21, 2012 Buy HD $2.99 from $1.99 3. Episode 3 Clive is in Oxford, prosecuting three students accused of sexually assaulting a waitress. Up against intimidating defense counsel, Clive begins to waver, but a chance encounter with an old friend helps him discover a passion for prosecuting he didn't know he had. When the case is in danger of collapsing, Clive is faced with one of the biggest decisions of his career. TV-14 CC Language: English Runtime: 59 minutes Release date: May 28, 2012 Buy HD $2.99 from $1.99 4. Episode 4 In a David and Goliath battle Martha represents the driver of a high security prison van. When some of his prisoners escape, Michael Ward opens the doors of his van to find another dead. With Ward and the security firm accused of causing the prisoner's death, Martha fights to make Ward stand up for himself, lest he becomes the fall guy.

TV-14 CC Language: English Runtime: 58 minutes Release date: June 4, 2012 Buy HD $2.99 from $1.99 5. Episode 5 At the Supreme Court Martha is representing Jackson Henderson in a death row case. Against a ticking clock and with Billy breathing down her neck, Martha faces the toughest legal argument of her career. TV-14 CC Language: English Runtime: 59 minutes Release date: June 11, 2012 Buy HD $2.99 from $1.99 6. Episode 6 Reluctantly representing Jody Farr, Martha will do her job, but she won't allow him or Micky to get under her skin. Fighting shifting power plays and an untenable defense she begins to feel that Jody isn't getting a fair trial and suspects foul play. Setting a dangerous trap, can Martha uncover the unbelievable truth?

TV-14 CC Language: English Runtime: 58 minutes Release date: June 18, 2012 Buy HD $2.99 Amazon.com: Silk, Season 2: Maxine Peake, Rupert Penry-Jones, Neil Stuke, Alex Jennings, Indira Varma, Peter Hoare, Alice Troughton, Jeremy Webb, Peter Moffat, Richard Stokes, Hilary Salmon: Amazon Digital Services LLC from $1.99 1. Episode 1 Martha Costello is now a QC, but she learns fast that it can be lonely at the top. At Shoe Lane Chambers times are tough, and senior clerk Billy struggles to keep things afloat while Clive Reader tries to be stoic about his unsuccessful silk application. TV-14 CC Language: English Runtime: 58 minutes Release date: May 14, 2012 Buy HD $2.99 from $1.99 2. Episode 2 Martha is representing Captain Peter Ryan in a Court Martial. He's accused of disobeying an order, resulting in the death of a 19 year old private.

Doggedly seeking the truth, Martha slowly peels back the layers of past and present wounds, revealing the shocking reality of modern combat. TV-14 CC Language: English Runtime: 59 minutes Release date: May 21, 2012 Buy HD $2.99 from $1.99 3. Episode 3 Clive is in Oxford, prosecuting three students accused of sexually assaulting a waitress. Up against intimidating defense counsel, Clive begins to waver, but a chance encounter with an old friend helps him discover a passion for prosecuting he didn't know he had. When the case is in danger of collapsing, Clive is faced with one of the biggest decisions of his career. TV-14 CC Language: English Runtime: 59 minutes Release date: May 28, 2012 Buy HD $2.99 from $1.99 4. Episode 4 In a David and Goliath battle Martha represents the driver of a high security prison van. When some of his prisoners escape, Michael Ward opens the doors of his van to find another dead.

With Ward and the security firm accused of causing the prisoner's death, Martha fights to make Ward stand up for himself, lest he becomes the fall guy. TV-14 CC Language: English Runtime: 58 minutes Release date: June 4, 2012 Buy HD $2.99 from $1.99 5. Episode 5 At the Supreme Court Martha is representing Jackson Henderson in a death row case. Against a ticking clock and with Billy breathing down her neck, Martha faces the toughest legal argument of her career. TV-14 CC Language: English Runtime: 59 minutes Release date: June 11, 2012 Buy HD $2.99 from $1.99 6. Episode 6 Reluctantly representing Jody Farr, Martha will do her job, but she won't allow him or Micky to get under her skin. Fighting shifting power plays and an untenable defense she begins to feel that Jody isn't getting a fair trial and suspects foul play. Setting a dangerous trap, can Martha uncover the unbelievable truth?

TV-14 CC Language: English Runtime: 58 minutes Release date: June 18, 2012 Buy HD $2.99 Maxine Peake - News NEWS Our critics pick the season's highlights. From Elisabeth Moss on stage to Adele 's new album, these are the dates for your cultural diary January 5 Film 127 Hours Danny Boyle 's 10th film tells the story of Aron Ralston , played by James Franco who severed his own arm with a penknife to escape after becoming trapped while hiking in Utah . Colin Firth is introverted monarch George VI, battling a debilitating stutter with the aid of an extroverted therapist ( Geoffrey Rush ). The ensuing friendship is touching – and, when the second world war breaks out, of national importance. 9 Classical Hollywood Rhapsody The Bbcso and Chorus celebrate Hollywood's golden age. Composers include Korngold, Waxman, Rózsa; films range from The Wizard of Oz to Gone with the Wind . Barbican, London. 9 Jan only.

11 Theatre Twelfth Night To mark his 80th birthday, Peter Hall returns to the National theatre, which he ran until 1988. He directs his daughter Rebecca, » 1 December 2010 11:57 AM, PST | The Hollywood News | See recent The Hollywood News news » <p>We have just received the following press release confirming the start of principal photography on the <strong> David Blair </strong>directed film <strong> Best Laid Plans </strong>. The film stars the superb<strong> Stephen Graham </strong> and <strong> Lost </strong> star <strong> Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje </strong>.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-8944" title="stephen-graham" src="" alt="" width="600" height="300" /></p> <p>Check out the full release statement below.</p> <blockquote><p>Shooting has commenced in Nottingham on Best Laid Plans (working title), directed by BAFTA and Emmy award-winning David Blair ( The Street ).

Best Laid Plans explores the bonds of love and loyalty between two unlikely friends fighting for survival – and examines how extreme violence tests those bonds to the limit.</p> <p> Best Laid Plans is directed by David Blair , winner of three BAFTAs and two EMMYs for his work on the television series The Street and Takin&#8217; Over the Asylum. It is written by new British talent, Chris Green . The film stars acclaimed actor Stephen Graham ( This Is England ) who has just completed filming Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides » - Paul Heath 5 November 2010 5:05 PM, PDT | The Guardian - TV News | See recent The Guardian - TV News news » Misfits – E4's excellent superhero series – returns this week for a second series. So what lies in store? It's a baking afternoon in June, blue skies, no traffic. The Guardian has come to a deserted university campus on the outskirts of south London to watch the second series of Misfits being filmed.

But apart from the odd orange jumpsuit hanging up, there's not much to indicate that the building has found a new life doubling as the community centre where the asbo superheroes spend their days swearing, smoking and accidentally killing probation officers, until Robert Sheehan 's unmistakable Irish accent breaks the summer silence at full volume: "Monkey Slut Is Blown! Monkey Slut Is Blown!" The actor's back on set for the second series, shooting what turns out to be the centrepiece of this Thursday's opening episode. As Nathan, the gobby kid who'll never use one word when seven will do, » - Richard Vine 21 September 2010 9:21 PM, PDT | Den of Geek | See recent Den of Geek news » The UK may be struggling to keep up with the rest of the world in the arena of football, but we’re at least producing some top quality actors.

Here’s Matthew’s pick of upcoming talent… In a review I read for the BBC film, Dive , it stated, "It is lucky that, at a time when we are failing miserably to produce young footballers, we are producing such wonderful young actors." I'm not exactly sure why one would make up for the other, but I agree with the assertion. We have some great young actors and our young footballers are rubbish. For me, that's the best way round, though. Here's a list of ten young British actors whom I expect to be making big moves in the world of entertainment in the near future, if they aren't already.

The list is based on some completely subjective criteria such as talent, » 6 September 2010 11:26 AM, PDT | SmellsLikeScreenSpirit | See recent SmellsLikeScreenSpirit news » Director: James Kent Writer: Jane English Starring: Maxine Peake , Anna Madeley , Gemma Jones , Michael Culkin , Ted Holden , Christine Bottomley , Dean Lennox Kelly , Tina O'Brien , Susan Lynch , Alan David Anne Lister ( Maxine Peake ) is an unmarried 19th century Yorkshire woman living at Shibden Hall with her aunt ( Gemma Jones ) and uncle ( Alan David ). Lister desires one thing from life: to have someone to love and to share her life with. The person she has in mind for that part is Mariana Belcombe ( Anna Madeley ), with whom she has developed a clandestine romantic relationship (they have “connected"); that is until 19th century English culture gets the better of Belcombe and she marries a rich aged widower, Charles Lawton ( Michael Culkin ). Depressed and permanently clad in black (thus freeing herself from “the tyranny of fashion"), Lister studiously immerses herself in her library.

A year passes and Lister begins to consider finding herself someone » - Don Simpson Isle of MTV | No Hats No Trainers | American Grindhouse | The Middle | Secret Britain | U Be Dead and more Saturday 4 September Isle Of MTV; Camp Bestival 12midday, MTV; 9pm, Sky Arts 1 Two different approaches at annual music festivals. First off, MTV take over a chunk of Malta for their big, spectacular concert. The bands picked are ones that know plenty about showmanship: Scissor Sisters , Kelis and Kid Rock . In these cash-strapped days such wilful, wasteful consumerism is a wonder to behold and it's great to see MTV actually putting some M on their TV for a change. The other side of the coin is the carbon-neutral Camp Bestival in Dorset. Audiences there, in fancy dress, witnessed an eclectic selection including Madness, Friendly Fires , the Human League and George Clinton .

No Hats No Trainers 12.25pm, BBC2 The lively No Hats No Trainers is back for a second series, and it's well worth » - Phelim O'Neill, Rebecca Nicholson, Andrew Mueller, David Stubbs, Will Dean, Jonathan Wright, Martin Skegg, John Robinson 3 September 2010 10:54 AM, PDT | FilmJunk | See recent FilmJunk news » The Red Riding Trilogy Directed by: Julian Jarrold , James Marsh , Anand Tucker Written by: Tony Grisoni (screenplay), David Peace (novels) Starring: Andrew Garfield , Sean Bean , Paddy Considine , David Morrissey , Mark Addy , Rebecca Hall , Peter Mullan , Maxine Peake If you're in the market for a gripping crime drama, it doesn't get much better than The Red Riding Trilogy, an epic series of three feature-length made-for-tv movies that aired on Channel 4 in the U.K. back in March of 2009.

Although the "made-for-tv" label is typically given a bad rap here in North America, the Brits definitely seem to put a lot more care into their small screen efforts, and the talent on display here is pretty staggering. It also helps that one of the production companies behind it is Revolution Films , the same people who produced almost all of Michael Winterbottom 's films including 24 Hour Party People and The Killer Inside Me . » - Sean 17 August 2010 11:41 AM, PDT | HollywoodChicago.com | See recent HollywoodChicago.com news » Chicago – Thriller fans should seek out the fascinating “Red Riding Trilogy,” a series of films with largely different casts set in different time periods that attempts to pull back the facade of peace to reveal the dark face of evil underneath. The films are not perfect but they work together to create a memorable portrait of corruption that has infected an entire country and taken more than a few victims in its grip.

Blu-Ray Rating: 4.5/5.0 “Red Riding 1974” stars the new Spider-man, Andrew Garfield , as Eddie Dunford, a young journalist caught up in the mystery of missing little girls in his job at the Yorkshire Post. When one of the girls is found raped, murdered, and with swan wings sewn on her back, Eddie finds himself drawn even deeper into a disturbing nightmare. With one of the best supporting performances of the year to date from the great Rebecca Hall , Julian Jarrold » - adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman) 9 August 2010 12:00 AM, PDT | The Guardian - TV News | See recent The Guardian - TV News news » Let's hope the new series avoids the picture of unfulfilled women at law popularised in Hollywood films such as Jagged Edge In a recent press release, the BBC promised that its new legal drama series Silk would present a true-to-life portrait of a female barrister applying for QC or "silk". On the big screen female lawyers have not fared all that well in representing their real-life counterparts, despite similar promises from Hollywood.

This was especially true in the 1980s and 1990s, when female stars were cast almost obsessively as lawyers: Glenn Close in Jagged Edge (1985), Cher in Suspect (1987), Jessica Lange in Music Box (1989), Barbara Hershey in Defenseless (1991) , Susan Sarandon in The Client (1994), and Julia Roberts as a law student in The Pelican Brief (1993), an assistant Us attorney in Conspiracy Theory (1997), and a legal assistant in Erin Brokovich (2000) – to name just a few. These Hollywood lawyers are women in or just » - Cynthia Lucia 9 August 2010 12:00 AM, PDT | The Guardian - Film News | See recent The Guardian - Film News news » Let's hope the new series avoids the picture of unfulfilled women at law popularised in Hollywood films such as Jagged Edge In a recent press release, the BBC promised that its new legal drama series Silk would present a true-to-life portrait of a female barrister applying for QC or "silk".

On the big screen female lawyers have not fared all that well in representing their real-life counterparts, despite similar promises from Hollywood. This was especially true in the 1980s and 1990s, when female stars were cast almost obsessively as lawyers: Glenn Close in Jagged Edge (1985), Cher in Suspect (1987), Jessica Lange in Music Box (1989), Barbara Hershey in Defenseless (1991) , Susan Sarandon in The Client (1994), and Julia Roberts as a law student in The Pelican Brief (1993), an assistant Us attorney in Conspiracy Theory (1997), and a legal assistant in Erin Brokovich (2000) – to name just a few. These Hollywood lawyers are women in or just » - Cynthia Lucia Six-part series by Criminal Justice writer Peter Moffat will also feature Rupert Penry-Jones BBC1 is to screen a new drama about barristers, Silk, starring Maxine Peake and Rupert Penry-Jones . The legal drama written by Peter Moffat , whose credits include Criminal Justice and North Square , and is based on his own experience as a former barrister.

Peake and Penry-Jones play junior barristers attempting to "take silk" – become QCs, and be allowed to wear the coloured robes, made of silk, that go with the position. The cast also features Natalie Dormer , Tom Hughes and Neil Stuke . "Silk is based on my experience at the bar. I want to tell it as it really is," said Moffat. "The extreme pressure, the hard choices, the ethical dilemmas, the overlap between the personal and the professional, principles fought for and principles sacrificed, the machiavellian politics, the sex, the drinking, the whole story – life at the » - Jason Deans 12 July 2010 4:02 PM, PDT | Digital Spy | See recent Digital Spy - Movie News news » Rupert Penry Jones and Maxine Peake have signed up to appear in a new BBC legal drama. Silk has been written by former barrister Peter Moffat , who previously penned Criminal Justice . Peake will play defence barrister Martha Costello whose passionate belief in 'innocent until proven guilty' and faith in the criminal justice system will be challenged over the series.

Meanwhile, Penry Jones will star as Clive Reader, who was called to the Bar at the same time as Martha. Both of the barristers are applying for 'silk', which means that they (more) » - By Catriona Wightman Maxine Peake in James Kent ‘s The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister (top); Alicia Silverstone , Clueless (upper middle); Lio in Myriam Aziza ‘s The Evening Dress (lower middle); Jane Lynch , A Gaythering Storm (bottom) James Kent ‘s The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister , Amy Heckerling ‘s 1995 sleeper hit Clueless , Myriam Aziza ‘s La robe du soir / The Evening Dress , and the comedy shorts compilation "From Uranus to Titicaca" are some of the offerings at Outfest 2010, the 28th edition of the Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Film Festival. The festival is headquartered at the Directors Guild in West Hollywood.

The made-for-British-tv The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister tells the story of a woman who defies 19th-century English conventions to have scandalous affairs with two other women. Maxine Peake stars as Anne Lister. Also in the cast: Anna Madeley , Susan Lynch , Gemma Jones , and Michael Culkin . In Clueless , a reworking » - Andre Soares 18 June 2010 4:46 AM, PDT | The Guardian - TV News | See recent The Guardian - TV News news » As Accidentally on Purpose kicks off on E4, we celebrate the wittiest women in TV from Roseanne to Ab Fab Last night E4 aired the first two episodes of new sitcom Accidentally On Purpose , which stars Jenna Elfman as film critic Billie and Ashley Jensen , playing to type, as ditsy best friend Olivia. Billie, past it at 37, gets pregnant by her casual and much younger "boy toy", which leads to much soul-searching, a terrible laugh track and a handful of decent quips along the way.

The show was cancelled after its first series in the States, so it's not worth getting attached to, but it's not as bad as the rather predictable set-up makes it sound, either. Elfman is genuinely funny, and though Jensen hams up the dizziness, Accidentally is at least not based on its lead being an airhead, which is the case with some female-led sitcoms. In fact, » 16 June 2010 3:16 PM, PDT | Alt Film Guide | See recent Alt Film Guide news » Frameline, San Francisco’s Gay & Lesbian Film Festival now in its 34th year, will kick off on Thursday, June 17, with a screening of James Kent ’s The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister , about "what might have happened if Elizabeth Bennet had ignored Mr. Darcy and pursued the local ladies?" Actually, The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister is not a revamping of a Jane Austen novel. Instead, Jane English ’s screenplay follows a young woman attempting to live an authentic "lesbian life" in Regency England. Maxine Peake plays Anne Lister.

Others in the film’s cast are: Anna Madeley , Susan Lynch , Gemma Jones , and Michael Culkin . Attendees at Frameline’s gala opening ceremony will quite possibly be met by picketers protesting the Israeli consulate’s participation as one of the festival’s sponsors. Frameline 2010 comes to a close on June 27 with a screening of Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman ’s Howl , » - Andre Soares 15 June 2010 10:22 PM, PDT | AfterEllen.com | See recent AfterEllen.com news » If you're lucky, you've already seen The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister. And if you haven't, don't fret. The drama, which aired on the BBC, is making the Lgbt film festival rounds — it opens San Francisco's Frameline Film Festival on June 17 and plays Los Angeles' Outfest in July, among others. The film stars Maxine Peake as Lister — a landowner, traveler and industrialist who lived in the early 1800s and who also happened to be a lesbian who wasn't shy about her sexual orientation.

Lister's journals — numbering more than 25 volumes and 4 million words — have become some of the best lesbian nonfiction in existence. AfterEllen.com caught up with Peake to discuss why she pursued the role, doing justice to the role for the Lgbt community and how Lister has changed her. AfterEllen.com: You initially heard of the part from a friend and chased it until you landed it — all without having read the script. » - Snoodit 5 June 2010 4:04 PM, PDT | The Guardian - TV News | See recent The Guardian - TV News news » Britain had plenty of talent and genius but it was mainly to be found on BBC2 and Channel 4 Poor old BBC1, trying so hard, burdened by so much money. The week began badly for them, as so many seem to, with Robert Winston and Sophie Raworth trying to present something about personality. How the corporation loves these Big Tests which purport to offer you some big conclusion about the Way We Are, but in the end hint only at small things, very few of them pleasant, about the smugness of the producer's lazy knowing smile in the pub the night he got it commissioned.

In The Big Personality Test we were meant to be finding out, I think, how personalities shape our lives; inherent personality rather than, say, geography or upbringing. I say "I think" because it was impossible to really find out; impossible, almost, to think. There were » - Euan Ferguson 2 June 2010 2:10 AM, PDT | The Guardian - TV News | See recent The Guardian - TV News news » Start of 'Siege Week' scores success as double helping of Britain's Got Talent attracts ITV1 HD's biggest audience yet Coronation Street 's first night of high-definition broadcasting proved an instant hit with viewers, with the 9pm edition attracting more than 500,000 viewers to the ITV1 HD channel on Monday 31 May. The ITV1 soap's first ever 9pm outing attracted 9.655 million viewers and a 38.2% share on the main network, with a further 509,000 (2.1%) on digital channel ITV1 HD.

This topped the previous ratings high for ITV1 HD, 459,000 (2%) for live coverage of last Monday's England friendly against Mexico. Last night's double helping of Britain's Got Talent either side of Coronation Street brought two higher audiences to ITV1 HD, with 559,000 viewers (2.2%) for the 7.30pm outing and 574,000 (2.3%) for the 9.30pm results show. On ITV1, the first Britain's Got Talent semi-final drew 10.153 million viewers (40.9%) from 7.30pm and 9.746 million (38%) for the 9.30pm edition. All three shows more than doubled » - Jason Deans 31 May 2010 10:45 PM, PDT | The Guardian - TV News | See recent The Guardian - TV News news » Maxine Peake was in her element in a tale of romance, secrets and – most of all – misery The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister (BBC2), then. Leather-bound. Furtive.

Their yellowing pages rich in soft-focus historical context and authentically repressed 19th-century bosomage. Written by Jane English , the 90-minute drama concerned Anne Lister, the real-life Yorkshire landowner, industrialist and enthusiastic lesbian whose numerous diaries were written in a coded combination of Greek and algebra in order to conceal her romantic relationships. Most prominent of these was her lifelong love for Mariana, aka "-Zp4z-z". It was not a happy affair. As Lister, Maxine Peake was the light bulb around which the drama's gloom-winged moth fluttered. Peake's presence in a production is not generally conducive to Lolz. Melancholy and a vague sense of anxiousness, yes: belly laughs over Doritos, no.

So guileless, pale and eager-to-please is the actor's heart-shaped face you instinctively wince at the tsunami of disappointment, » - Sarah Dempster Maxine Peake - News NEWS 23 December 2011 4:05 PM, PST | The Guardian - TV News | See recent The Guardian - TV News news » 2011's TV highs and lows included head-alternating drama, toxic relations, no-nonsense food appreciation and an audience baying 'Omg!' End of year Best Of lists seem to evoke more fury than reflective joy these days. Maybe we're all angrier. Just reading a list this week which claimed that Downton Abbey series two – the one with all the bedpans – was televisual nectar, while snubbing the unique, flawless Game Of Thrones made my eyes throb. What sort of blinkered arse didn't enjoy Sean Bean enigmatically muttering the phrase "Winter is coming" while staring at a decapitated serf? Regardless, here are more of my 2011 TV joys, typed neatly in a column to ruin your Christmas.

I loved Limmy series two for BBC Scotland , simply the best British comedy made this year: dark, wilfully daft, perfectly hewn. I loved Rev's inter-faith football tournament (BBC2), Mike & Molly (starring Melissa McCarthy from Bridesmaids ) and The Office » - Grace Dent 13 October 2011 8:21 AM, PDT | The Playlist | See recent The Playlist news » Film Will Likely Condense Trilogy, Could Be Set In Pennsylvania Somewhere near the very top rung of recent crime movies, along with "Zodiac" and "A Prophet," is the " Red Riding " trilogy. Three films, from three different directors, based on David Peace 's quartet of crime novels, and starring a who's who of British acting talent including Andrew Garfield , Rebecca Hall , Sean Bean , Paddy Considine , Maxine Peake , Mark Addy , David Morrissey and Peter Mullan , they were originally made for British TV, but were so well received that they rightfully found their way into movie theaters in the U.S.

Around the same time,… » 16 September 2011 2:06 AM, PDT | Digital Spy | See recent Digital Spy - Movie News news » Claire Skinner has signed up to appear in the forthcoming Doctor Who Christmas special. The Outnumbered actress was recently spotted filming on the sci-fi drama's set in Wales. Her role in the festive instalment, which has been penned by Who showrunner Steven Moffat , is currently unclear. Some sources, including Wales Online, mistakenly identified Skinner as Shameless star Maxine Peake , due to the facial similarity between the two. However, a source has confirmed to Digital Spy that it is in fact Skinner who will appear in the Christmas (more) » - By Morgan Jeffery 14 September 2011 2:20 PM, PDT | MUBI | See recent MUBI news » Why round up reviews of both in one entry? Because Fernando Meirelles 's 360 will be opening the BFI London Film Festival on October 12 and Terence Davies 's The Deep Blue Sea will be closing it on October 27.

What's more, both star Rachel Weisz and, of course, both have just seen their world premieres in Toronto. We'll consider them, though, in order of interest. "So entirely immersive is Terence Davies 's desire to recreate and analyze the ethos of post-World War II Britain that not only has he fulfilled his ambition to refashion Terence Rattigan 's The Deep Blue Sea ," writes Todd McCarthy in the Hollywood Reporter, "but he has created a theoretical sequel to Noël Coward and David Lean 's Brief Encounter in the bargain.

As intensely personal and deeply felt as it is, however, Davies's attempt to breathe new life into Rattigan's 1952 play is a rather bloodless, suffocating thing, » 22 August 2011 1:05 AM, PDT | The Guardian - Film News | See recent The Guardian - Film News news » The author's stylish language will be heard once more in the movie, fifty years after he was branded as old-fashioned amid the coming of drama's angry young men The spare, stylish dialogue of Terence Rattigan , at one time the highest-paid screenwriter in the world, will soon be heard in Britain's cinemas once more. In the final phase of a centenary year that has seen the late playwright's work revived on stages across the country, next month will bring not just a celebration of his theatrical legacy at Chichester Festival Theatre, but the release of a new film version of The Deep Blue Sea – the play regarded by many as Rattigan's masterpiece. Director Terence Davies is due to show his film, which stars Rachel Weisz as the troubled Hester Collyer, at the Toronto Film Festival before its British premiere in November.

Davies, the acclaimed experimental screenwriter and filmmaker from Liverpool behind Distant Voices, » - Vanessa Thorpe 15 July 2011 4:09 PM, PDT | The Guardian - Film News | See recent The Guardian - Film News news » 'My feet are the stuff of nightmares' Maxine Peake , 36, was born and brought up in Bolton. She studied performing arts at Salford Tech and was awarded a scholarship to Rada. In 1998 she was cast in Victoria Wood 's TV sitcom Dinnerladies , and went on to play Veronica in Shameless and Myra Hindley in See No Evil . Most recently she played the lead in BBC1's legal drama Silk . Her stage credits include The Cherry Orchard at the National Theatre and Miss Julie at the Theatre Royal Haymarket. She is currently in Loyalty at Hampstead Theatre until 13 August. She lives in Salford. When were you happiest? The mid- to late 80s, summers spent at Park End Farm in Atherton – ankle deep in horse manure and soaking wet from falls from badly constructed rope swings across streams. What is your greatest fear? Political apathy.

What is your earliest memory? Losing the fancy-dress » 15 July 2011 4:09 PM, PDT | The Guardian - TV News | See recent The Guardian - TV News news » 'My feet are the stuff of nightmares' Maxine Peake , 36, was born and brought up in Bolton. She studied performing arts at Salford Tech and was awarded a scholarship to Rada. In 1998 she was cast in Victoria Wood 's TV sitcom Dinnerladies , and went on to play Veronica in Shameless and Myra Hindley in See No Evil . Most recently she played the lead in BBC1's legal drama Silk . Her stage credits include The Cherry Orchard at the National Theatre and Miss Julie at the Theatre Royal Haymarket. She is currently in Loyalty at Hampstead Theatre until 13 August. She lives in Salford. When were you happiest? The mid- to late 80s, summers spent at Park End Farm in Atherton – ankle deep in horse manure and soaking wet from falls from badly constructed rope swings across streams. What is your greatest fear? Political apathy. What is your earliest memory?

Losing the fancy-dress » 20 June 2011 5:11 AM, PDT | Upcoming-Movies.com | See recent Upcoming-Movies.com news » U.K. legal drama attaches Steven Zaillian and Richard Price for stateside version of Criminal Justice . BBC Worldwide Productions and HBO will develop 10-part version of Criminal Justice which was a hit in the U.K. Screenwriters Steven Zaillian and Richard Price are attached to the project. Included in the U.K. version of Criminal Justice were Ben Whishaw , Pete Postlethwaite , Maxine Peake , Ruth Negga , Eddie Marsan , Nadine Marshall and Steven Mackintosh . Ben Wishaw starred as Ben Coulter, a young man who is accused of murder after a drunken and drug-filled night out, though is unable to remember committing the crime » 20 June 2011 5:11 AM, PDT | Upcoming-Movies.com | See recent Upcoming-Movies.com news » U.K. legal drama attaches Steven Zaillian and Richard Price for stateside version of Criminal Justice . BBC Worldwide Productions and HBO will develop 10-part version of Criminal Justice which was a hit in the U.K.

Screenwriters Steven Zaillian and Richard Price are attached to the project. Included in the U.K. version of Criminal Justice were Ben Whishaw , Pete Postlethwaite , Maxine Peake , Ruth Negga , Eddie Marsan , Nadine Marshall and Steven Mackintosh . Ben Wishaw starred as Ben Coulter, a young man who is accused of murder after a drunken and drug-filled night out, though is unable to remember committing the crime » 20 June 2011 5:11 AM, PDT | Upcoming-Movies.com | See recent Upcoming-Movies.com news » U.K. legal drama attaches Steven Zaillian and Richard Price for stateside version of Criminal Justice . BBC Worldwide Productions and HBO will develop 10-part version of Criminal Justice which was a hit in the U.K. Screenwriters Steven Zaillian and Richard Price are attached to the project. Included in the U.K. version of Criminal Justice were Ben Whishaw , Pete Postlethwaite , Maxine Peake , Ruth Negga , Eddie Marsan , Nadine Marshall and Steven Mackintosh .

Ben Wishaw starred as Ben Coulter, a young man who is accused of murder after a drunken and drug-filled night out, though is unable to remember committing the crime » Why British actors dominate Us TV, plus the search for the new Miss Havisham, and David Cameron's silence on the arts Why British actors dominate Us TV Where have all our actors gone? American television, of course. The British invasion of Us networks is not a new phenomenon, but the numbers involved are dizzying at the moment. On Showtime, there's Jeremy Irons living it up as the scheming Pope Alexander VI in Neil Jordan 's The Borgias , along with a raft of British supporting talent ( Steven Berkoff , Derek Jacobi , Gina McKee , Joanne Whalley ). Joseph Fiennes , meanwhile, plays a macho Merlin in a new take on Arthurian legend in Camelot . On HBO, Sean Bean is all northern menace in the dramatisation of George Rr Martin's fantasy Game of Thrones (with Michelle Fairley as his wife, as well as Mark Addy , Iain Glen , Lily's brother Alfie Allen and Lena Headey ).

The Brits seem to have the sexy, » - Mark Brown 9 April 2011 4:06 PM, PDT | The Guardian - TV News | See recent The Guardian - TV News news » Maxine Peake and Anne-Marie Duff are among many stars whose careers began on the show. And a pair of casting directors were vital to its success, writes Vanessa Thorpe There has been no shortage of good stories on the Chatsworth estate. The fictional council house development in Greater Manchester that forms the backdrop to Shameless , one of Britain's longest-running drama series, is packed with dodgy incident. Such as the end of series one when charming Steve, played by James McAvoy , hands Fiona, played by Anne-Marie Duff , the keys to her own house – but only after blowing it up. Or the sombre scenes in the second series when Steve has to slip off to Amsterdam to avoid the law. Or perhaps the moment in the third series when lovable layabout Frank, played by David Threlfall , and Veronica, played by Maxine Peake , dig up a stash of fake gold. Oh, and a dead body.

» - Vanessa Thorpe 8 April 2011 4:14 AM, PDT | Digital Spy | See recent Digital Spy - Movie News news » The BBC has postponed airing Room At The Top at the last minute due to a "contractual issue". Maxine Peake and Matthew McNulty star in the latest two-part adaptation of the 1950s novel about the rise of amorous Joe Lampton, who is willing to do anything to get to the top. According to the Daily Mail, the last-minute withdrawal of the show was down to a legal challenge. The John Braine -penned story was previously turned into a film in 1957, while Thames produced spinoff comedy series Man At The Top in the 1970s. Braine's family and widow approved the BBC adaptation, but (more) » - By Alex Fletcher 5 April 2011 9:06 AM, PDT | TV.com | See recent TV.com news » It.s a quirk of TV schedules that actors sometimes seem ubiquitous. They can be off the radar for months at a time and then suddenly they.re everywhere!

When the actor in question is Maxine Peake we wouldn.t usually complain, but her latest offering leaves us wanting less, not more. Peake had us hooked on legal drama Silk as she confidently led the cast as driven yet conflicted barrister Martha Costello. The series, which ended earlier this month, was so popular with viewers that BBC One renewed it within a day of its... More >> » - Adam Beresford BBC1 legal drama recommissioned for second series after average audience of 5.9m BBC1 legal drama Silk has been recommissioned for a second series. Starring Maxine Peake , Rupert Penry-Jones and Neil Stuke , the first six-part series finished on Tuesday night with 4.7 million viewers. However, consolidated figures from the BBC, adding seven-day catch up viewing on PVRs such as Sky+, show that so far the drama based on the lives and loves of barristers in a set of London chambers has averaged an audience of around 5.9 million. The new six-part series will air in 2012. It was recommissioned by BBC1 controller Danny Cohen and BBC drama controller Ben Stephenson .

Cohen said: " Maxine Peake has excelled in Silk and we're delighted to be bringing this high quality, popular drama back for a second series." Stephenson added: "Having a writer of Peter Moffat 's calibre writing a series is what drama at the BBC is all about. » - Tara Conlan 23 March 2011 3:52 AM, PDT | The Guardian - TV News | See recent The Guardian - TV News news » BBC legal drama Silk took several episodes to get going – are there any slow-burning shows you're glad you gave a second chance? The first episode of Silk kicked off with ballsy northern barrister Martha Costello scrawling "Ng" - "not guilty" for those not familiar with legalese – on a case file in lipstick. Costello spent the subsequent episode drinking beer from the bottle, to prove that she is no poncey posh wine-drinker, struggling with her good vs evil defence lawyer morals and trudging through a predictable case that hinged, appropriately, on a yawn.

For a show written by Peter Moffat , who had already created a blueprint for decent legal drama with Channel 4 's North Square , and starring Rupert Penry Jones and Maxine Peake , Silk really did seem to be a load of old nonsense. I watched the second episode to make sure it was that bad. I watched the third » - Rebecca Nicholson 15 March 2011 1:17 AM, PDT | MovieWeb | See recent MovieWeb news » Actor Will Forte has landed roles in the upcoming indie project Run and Jump and a voice role in the animated TV series Allen Gregory . These are his first roles since leaving Saturday Night Live last summer. Run and Jump comes from Steph Green and Ailbhe Keogan, with Maxine Peake , Brian F. O'Byrne, and Sharon Hogan also set to star. No plot details were given, although the project will be shot on location in Ireland this May. Will Forte also landed a role in Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar Movie, which we reported earlier today will be distributed by Magnolia Pictures . Allen Gregory will also feature voices from Jonah Hill , who co-created the series, and French Stewart .

The show will center on the exploits of an immensely-talented seven-year-old boy has he heads to public school for the first time. » - MovieWeb 14 March 2011 7:00 PM, PDT | Collider.com | See recent Collider.com news » SNL alum Will Forte has landed a couple of projects. The actor is set to star in the indie drama Run and Jump, from Samson Films. Written by Ailbhe Keogan and Steph Green , with Green directing, the film also stars Maxine Peake , Brian F. O'Byrne and Sharon Horgan and is set to start filming in Ireland in May. Deadline also reports that Forte is joining the cast of the Fox animated series Allen Gregory , from co-creator/executive producer Jonah Hill . The show tells the story of a freakishly smart, internationally acclaimed 7-year-old kid (Hill) who’s about to take on the task of attending elementary school with kids his own age. Forte will voice various characters alongside Hill and actor French Stewart .

» - Adam Chitwood 14 March 2011 6:22 PM, PDT | Deadline TV | See recent Deadline TV news » Will Forte has booked his first full-time TV gig since leaving Saturday Night Live last summer, joining Fox's upcoming animated series Allen Gregory as a regular voice cast member. On the show, about an accomplished 7-year-old boy embarking on elementary school, Forte will voice characters alongside co-creator/executive producer Jonah Hill and French Stewart . Forte has had a frequent presence on Fox's animated comedy block. He has voiced recurring characters on American Dad! and The Cleveland Show and was a regular on Sit Down Shut Up . On the feature side, Forte has signed on to star in Run and Jump. The indie, from Samson Films (Once), was written by Ailbhe Keogan and Steph Green , with Green directing. It was developed by the Irish Film Board and the Sundance Screenwriters Lab, with Tamara Anghie producing. Maxine Peake , Brian F.

O'Byrne and Sharon Horgan have also been cast in the movie, which » - NELLIE ANDREEVA Silk Season 3 : Watch online now with Amazon Instant Video: Maxine Peake, Rupert Penry-Jones, Neil Stuke, Alex Jennings, Frances Barber, BBC: Amazon.co.uk By Murdo on 21 May 2014 Format: DVD Verified Purchase The first two series of Silk were very good. Although requiring some suspension of disbelief, the storylines were good, characterisations believable and the acting excellent. Series 3 was a big let down. Although a couple of episodes were better than the rest, the increasingly hysterical tone (coupled with an odd lack of atmosphere, particularly early on in the series) rendered the last couple of episodes almost unbelievably bad. The final part was completely confused, and confusing, and there was no clear resolution to several story lines. I appreciate that film makers sometimes feel the need to tell their stories in an individual and opaque manner, but on this occasion the story telling was really poor. What clashed particularly was the way in which the central characters changed dramatically, so as to become almost unrecognisable.

The final episode was a complete betrayal of Phil Davis' character, and a waste of a very fine actor. I'm glad I watched it, in general, as I still like the show, but this was a very poor ending to a very enjoyable show. TV series – Page 2 – Maxine Peake News Posted on May 28, 2015 Author admin Categories Gallery , The Village , TV series , Updates Comments Off on Gallery Update: The Village 2×01 HD Screen Captures I’ve added 275 HD captures from the first episode of The Village’s second series. Enjoy! 1923: The Middletons are just about surviving with their dairy farm whilst Martha has married George and Lady Clem is reluctantly hosting arrogant, promiscuous Lord Kilmartin, who can assist Edmund’s political progress. Bert volunteers to be the hare in the annual hare and hounds race organized by the Allinghams with a cash prize if he avoids capture. His plan involves changing clothes with Gerard Eyre to put the hounds off the scent and, whilst he wins, Kilmartin accuses him of cheating and withholds payment.

Socialist Bill Gibby arrives in the village as does a boxing booth with a financial prize given to anybody who can survive a round with Ghana Jones. Gallery Link: TV series > The Village (2013-2014) > Series 2 (2014) > HD Captures > 2×01 Posted on Mar 9, 2015 Author admin Categories News & Rumours , The Village , TV series Comments Off on The Village Series 2 starring Maxine Peake is out on DVD TODAY + Win a DVD copy! The Village Series 2 is out on DVD TODAY! We have 2 copies of The Village Series 2 to giveaway! All you have to do to enter is RT this tweet for your chance to win a copy of the series 2 DVD. Good luck!

Mar 5, 2015 Mar 11, 2015 Author admin Categories Articles , Media , Silk , TV series Comments Off on Maxine Peake to play Martha Costello QC-style role in new animated short film Star of legal drama Silk is back as you’ve never seen her before Maxine Peake, the actress who plays Martha Costello in Silk, is to do the voiceover for a character inspired by the fictional top QC in a new animated film about legal aid superheroes. ‘Legal Aid Team’ — which will premiere on the Guardian website in April — features a host of cartoon lawyer-superhero hybrids, among whom is ‘Red Lawyer’ (pictured above), the Costello-like character. Peake has won real-life lawyers’ respect by campaigning actively against the government’s cuts to the legal aid budget, appearing at the demonstration at Westminster last year (pictured below) and last month at the protests outside the Global Law Summit. The actress — who is reported to be set to star in a US version of Silk later this year — joins comedians Kevin Eldon and Angela Barnes as the voices for the superheroes, with further big names set to be announced.

Fred Grace, the producer of the film, told Legal Cheek: “We’re aiming to put the cuts to legal aid on the agenda before the general election as we think that they’ve largely been done under a cloak of boredom that has prevented people from outside the legal profession from taking an interest in something that will have serious repercussions for the justice system in this country.” As the company behind the production, Fat Rat Films, put the finishing touches to the video ahead of its 1 April launch, it is looking to secure funding to help with the costs of its project. Its funding page is here . Posted on Oct 26, 2014 Author admin Categories Awards & Nominations , The Village , TV series Comments Off on Vote for Maxine Peake and The Village at the National TV Awards! Follow the link HERE , vote and spread the news if you want them to win 😉 Posted on Oct 26, 2014 Author admin Categories Articles , Media , Silk , TV series Comments Off on BBC legal drama Silk to be remade in the US Umm, why would they do that? Maxine/Martha is irreplacable and an American remake… oh god no.

Read the story here: Series creator Peter Moffat will help adapt the series for the ABC network Peter Moffat’s British legal drama Silk is to be remade in America by the ABC network, it has been revealed. Running from 2011-2014 and starring Maxine Peake and Rupert Penry-Jones, the Bafta-nominated BBC drama revolved around the lives of barristers at Shoe Lane chambers, and the lengths they went to to attain the rank of Queen’s Counsel (QC) – aka “taking silk”. Creator Peter Moffat will team up with Marty Scott (Drop Dead Diva) to adapt the legal drama for American audiences, with Scott writing the script and executive producing alongside Moffat, BBC Worldwide Productions and ABC Studios, reveals Hollywood Reporter. Silk ran for three series on BBC One in the UK, but in news broken by RadioTimes.com it came to a surprise conclusion earlier this year.

Writer Peter Moffat told us at the time: “It has been a complete joy to work with a group of actors as good as this and with a lead actress who I consider to be the best there is.” “The main characters in Silk all have personal and professional stories which are coming to a natural conclusion at the end of this current series – it would be dishonest as a writer, and unfair to the integrity of the show and everyone involved in it, to prolong the series beyond what I hope is a powerful and compelling denouement.” Notably, Silk isn’t the only crime drama by Moffat currently getting an American facelift – his series Criminal Justice (which starred Ben Whishaw and Maxine Peake in its UK series) is being remade by HBO. Posted on Aug 12, 2014 Author admin Categories Articles , Media , The Village , TV series Comments Off on The Village 2×02 Spoilers Grace is encouraged by Bill, the Labour candidate, to join the Cycling Club for a bike ride across the Peaks. She makes use of the fact that John is at chapel to escape the farm and join the ride.

She returns, full of guilt and excitement, and when he asks her to come to a political meeting he is holding at the Institute, she agrees, telling herself that it is Bill’s political rhetoric that attracts her. John is aware that Grace is distracted and begins to suspect that she may be interested in Alf Rutter. He retreats further into the daily challenge of making the dairy business work without access to a barn and a milking machine. Posted on Aug 4, 2014 Author admin Categories Gallery , The Village , TV series , Updates Comments Off on Maxine Peake wants Julie Walters to play Grace in future series of BBC drama The Village! Series creator Peter Moffat has made no secret of his desire for The Village to become a long-running drama and some cast members have already been thinking about who they’d like to play their characters in future series!

Last year’s first series covered village life during the First World War, the new six-part installment brings the action into the 1920s and Moffat has hinted that the Second World War, post-war austerity and even the miner’s strikes of the 1970s could be covered in the future… “I wouldn’t mind being aged-up or maybe they’ll bring in different people as the show goes on,” says Maxine Peake who plays Grace Middleton, mother to young Bert, the show’s principle character. “But if they did get another actress in to play Grace my first choice would be Julie Walters because I think she’d be fabulous … or maybe not actually! If they got someone really good everyone would just say ‘Oh she’s much better than Maxine!’ Maybe I should stay!” The year is 1923 and Bert is 21 as the second series arrives on our screens this month, but while some aspects of modern life such as motorcars and electricity have arrived in the village life is still difficult on the Middleton farm. Life is no bed of roses for Maxine either and she reveals that although this year the show was filmed in spring and summer rather than winter, it was still pretty cold on the farm!

“Last year we filmed in winter,” she explains. “The sun was out a bit more this year but it was still cold. The grass on the farm was soaking and it would just go straight through those shoes so you’d spend the whole day with freezing feet!” “I didn’t get punched in the face as much as last year though,” says Maxine. “Last year I had to fall over in the mud quite a lot! We did it so many times I thought I might need a tetanus shot, but the crew said I’d be fine. I’m a bit of a hypochondriac!” The second series of The Village starts on BBC1 on Sunday 10th August

Question: Which recent BBC drama starred Maxine Peake and Rupert Penry-Jones as barristers who are aiming to become QC's?
Answer: 'SILK'